Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed. New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain. [Illustration: _Rhoda's Education.—Frontispiece._ "And she has written over the flyleaves so that you can't take it back."] [The Boonville Series] RHODA'S EDUCATION; OR, TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING. BY LUCY ELLEN GUERNSEY AUTHOR OF "IRISH AMY," "COMFORT ALLISON," "THE TATTLER," "NELLY; OR THE BEST INHERITANCE," "TWIN ROSES," "ETHEL'S TRIAL," "THE FAIRCHILDS," "THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL EXHIBITION," "THE RED PLANT," "PERCY'S HOLIDAYS," "ON THE MOUNTAIN; OR, LOST AND FOUND," "CLARIBEL; OR, OUT OF PRISON," "JENNY AND THE INSECTS," ETC. —————————— PHILADELPHIA: AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION NO. 1122 CHESTNUT STREET. —————————— NEW YORK: NO. 8 AND 10 BIBLE HOUSE, ASTOR PLACE. ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by the AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ————————————————— ———————————————— WESCOTT & THOMSON HENRY B. ASHMEAD Stereotypers and Electrotypers, Philada. Printer, Philada. CONTENTS. —————— CHAP. I. LITTLE BROTHER II. AUNT HANNAH III. THE CLOUD GROWS IV. THE CHANGE V. A NEW LIFE VI. MISS BROWN VII. AFFAIRS AT BOONVILLE VIII. A NEW HOME IX. MRS. FERRAND'S X. SYSTEM XI. THE ORIGIN OF THE HARP XII. AN OLD ENEMY XIII. A NEW FRIEND XIV. MISS DAVIS'S LETTER XV. WHAT A BIT OF SOAP DID XVI. MISS THURSTON XVII. DOCTOR DOUGLASS XVIII. SCHOOL XIX. THE END PREFACE. —————— IF this book does not make its own moral plain, it is a failure. I merely wish to preclude a certain kind of criticism by saying that all the most improbable incidents contained in the tale are literally true. I could point out more than one Professor Sampson, and any manager of an orphan school or any similar institution can relate stories of conduct as heartless as that of Mr. and Mrs. Bowers. I hope the book may be read with profit both by young people and their parents. LUCY ELLEN GUERNSEY. RHODA'S EDUCATION. —————— CHAPTER I. _LITTLE BROTHER._